Mayor highlights downtown comeback, housing progress and new infrastructure funding in State of the City address

Mayor delivered Farmington’s third State of the City address, saying "the state of our city is strong" and crediting "effectiveness and momentum" for recent advances in downtown revitalization, housing and infrastructure. He opened by thanking city council members and administrative leaders for continuity and steady governance.

The mayor credited the Downtown Development Authority and executive director Jess Westendorf with recent growth downtown: nine of the city’s 11 new businesses opened in the district last year. He said a DDA public investment of $226,000 leveraged $8.4 million in private investment — a figure the mayor described as a "37 times multiplier." He also introduced Claire Cooney as the Civic Theater’s new manager and praised proposals to add the theater to the syndicate social district to help recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On housing, the mayor said the Hillside Towns development by Robertson Brothers is largely complete, with units sold and the first occupants moved in; the project included full reconstruction of Thomas and School Streets and upgrades to local water and sewer lines. "Farmington is solving Michigan's housing shortage," the mayor said, urging state legislators to prefer partnership-based incentives over statewide preemption of local zoning.

On public safety and capital spending, the mayor reported delivery of a new fire engine (Engine 1), partially funded by $750,000 in state funds, and announced the department’s first drone—funded in part by a donation from Freedom Church—to assist with searches, parade overwatch and thermal imaging.

The address included two funding announcements. First, the mayor said Farmington won nearly $500,000 from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments’ Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to add sidewalk on the west side of Drake Road from Freedom Road to Drake Park and to make pedestrian-safety improvements at several intersections. SEMCOG chair Gwen Markham and executive director Amy O'Leary joined the stage to present details; Markham said the program prioritizes non-driving alternatives such as pathways and refuge islands, and O'Leary called it "Safe Streets Now money."

Second, the mayor announced roughly $1,000,000 in congressionally directed community-project funding to support upgrades and refurbishment of a nine-mile pumping station; Cody Shaw, economic development director for Congresswoman Haley Stevens, presented a ceremonial check on behalf of the congresswoman. The mayor credited the congresswoman for securing the funding and asked the city to use it for the stated pumping-station improvements.

The mayor also announced administrative and election changes: city manager David Murphy was recognized for a decade of service; Josh Leach was introduced as the new public works superintendent; and the clerk recommended — and council approved in December — consolidating Farmington's five voting precincts into three (City Hall and Farmington High School to serve voters) for the 2026 cycle, a move the mayor said will save about $35,000 while meeting new equipment requirements. The mayor urged affected residents to watch for updated voter-registration cards.

Other items included a $90,000 philanthropic campaign to create Mason’s Corner public space; plans to remove a rear addition to the historic Governor Warner mansion while preserving the house; a sister-city agreement with Vaucherie, Italy, and related cultural events; new parks and fitness-court openings; a 2025 food-waste pilot that diverted more than six tons of food waste; and the farmers market’s May 2 opening.

The address closed with the mayor’s thanks to family and local volunteers and a post-event invitation to gather downtown. The mayor concluded, "The state of our city is strong. Farmington has momentum."